James C. McConnon, a former chairman of the Republican Party in Lower Merion and once SEPTA chairman, died on March 16 of cardiopulmonary failure at 93, writes Bonnie L. Cook for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

McConnon, who was born in Pittsburg, trained as both a lawyer and a mechanical engineer. After earning a degree from University of Pennsylvania Law School, he joined the Philadelphia law firm of Paul & Paul. There, he practiced intellectual property law for six decades.

At that time, he lived with his wife, Nancy, and their three children in Narberth, where he served as choir director at St. Margaret Church. The family later moved to Wynnewood.

While he chaired the Lower Merion Republican Party for many years, his influence in GOP politics encompassed the entire of Montgomery County. He then became a member of the SEPTA board in the mid-1960s and later chairman of the transit agency from 1968 to 1978.

“He dealt with unions, politicians, everybody from the officials to the people who operated the vehicles,” said his son James Jr. “A lot of people respected him for that.”

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